Posted on 03/26/2014 3:56:33 PM PDT by mandaladon
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Less than six months on the job, the mayor of Charlotte was arrested Wednesday and accused of accepting more than $48,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as businessmen who wanted to do work with North Carolina's largest city.
Mayor Patrick Cannon, a 47-year-old Democrat who rose from the city's public housing projects to become a successful businessman and politician, faces federal theft and bribery charges. Cannon solicited and accepted more than $48,000 in cash, airline tickets, a hotel room and the use of a luxury apartment as bribes, according to a criminal complaint.
If convicted on all the charges, he faces 20 years in prison and more than $1 million in fines.
Cannon, a longtime radio show host and the founder of E-Z parking, a parking management company, was elected mayor in November, replacing Anthony Foxx, who was named Transportation Secretary by President Barack Obama.
Telephone messages left for Cannon were not immediately returned. He had an initial court appearance Wednesday and was released on $25,000 unsecured bond.
According to the complaint, FBI agents posing as commercial real estate developers paid Cannon on five separate occasions between January 2013 and February 2014. Cannon accepted cash in exchange for access to city officials responsible for planning, zoning and permitting.
On the last occasion, Cannon accepted $20,000 in cash in the mayor's office, the complaint said.
U.S. attorney's office spokeswoman Lia Bantavani said the investigation was ongoing. She declined further comment.
The investigation began in August 2010 after a tip from a local undercover officer about public corruption. At the time, Cannon still held an at-large seat on the Charlotte City Council. He was first elected to the council in 1993 at age 26, becoming the youngest council member in the city's history.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
“rose from the city’s public housing projects…”
And now we know how…...
The democrat party shows their donkey a$$ for what it is again! Let them eat their own.
Posted:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3137592/posts
and
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3137704/posts
whoa -identified as a democrat in second paragraph by yahoo news? He must have seriously pissed the regime off in some manner.
Typical DIMocRAT....Typical.
He could serve up to 20 years if convicted on all counts:
He faces a maximum sentence of:
•10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for theft and bribery
•20 years and $1,000,000 fine for honest services wire fraud
•20 years and $250,000 fine for extortion
*******
Department of Justice Release
http://images.bimedia.net/documents/Cannon+Press+Release.pdf
DOJ Criminal Complaint
http://www.justice.gov/usao/ncw/forms/cannoncomplaint.pdf
Five separate times. No entrapment there.
Glad it’s a Dem.
Remember in November—Dems are crooks.
Wow...a Corrupt Democrat...how UNUSUAL!! /SARC
Don’t know why you folks are crowing. According to the NEW rules instituted by the Obama-Holder Syndicate, blacks folks get off scot-free.
Black folks either didn’t do it, or had a reason to do it, so it’s all OK....RACISTS!
Interesting article with some details of the activities which led to the arrest.
Anthony Foxx is keeping his mouth shut. I have a strong inclination to believe that Foxx is in on the gig and only tossed Cannon when he thought it was getting too close to him.
Cannon will take a plea bargain with minimal time and clear Foxx.
I was shaken down in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) in a swoop and squat (staged auto accident) scheme. Everybody is on the scam from the Barney Fife cops to the insurance adjusters to the ambulance chasing lawyers. Mention Charlotte and I hear “Dueling Banjos.” Never again...
> Cannon, a longtime radio show host and the founder of E-Z parking, a parking management company, was elected mayor in November, replacing Anthony Foxx, who was named Transportation Secretary by President [Zero]... The investigation began in August 2010 after a tip from a local undercover officer about public corruption. At the time, Cannon still held an at-large seat on the Charlotte City Council.
Some additional ‘fo’. Thanks mandaladon.
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